THIEVES stole lead from the roof of a primary school, causing classrooms to be waterlogged.

Water leaked into at Greenside Primary School, in Greenside, Gateshead, after the theft.

Children at the 120-pupil school were forced to move classrooms while repair work was done and have been left upset by the crime.

Headteacher Dawn Foster said: “As a school we are devastated; teachers, parents and students put a lot of effort into the school in terms of their time and energy making it a positive learning environment and we are all upset.

“It was our youngest children, 25 of our reception and nursery classes, who had to be moved to a different part of the building because the roof was damaged and leaking.

“Because of the disruption we were forced to tell the children about the crime, which for some of our youngest pupils was really quite shocking but their response has been very positive with offers from them to put on an event to raise money toward the cost of repairs. I feel personally very saddened that there are unscrupulous people out there who don’t care about the disruption they cause to some of the most impressionable and vulnerable members of our community.

“Gateshead Council has reacted swiftly to minimise the disruption with some temporary repairs that have stopped the leaks for the time being and classes have returned to normal.”

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Warcup of Gateshead Area Command said: “ Not only has this caused considerable damage to the school’s roof, incurring a six figure-sum repair bill, but disrupts its running and the children’s education. It must have taken several people to strip the lead. The thieves may have seemed like legitimate workers and we want to hear from anyone who saw what was happening.”

The theft took place between 4pm on Friday, November 5 and 9am on Monday, November 8.

This latest incident follows theft of copper from Bede Community School, Old Fold Road earlier this month and lead flashing stolen from the roof of the Blaydon Centre, St Cuthbert’s Way at the end of October.